Cucamelon or Mouse Melon
When to Plant Cucamelons 
When you grow cucamelon from seeds, sow them in April. I have had mine for a few years now, so I have tubers, and I just need to make sure to move the pot with the tubers out when the first spring heat hits and the temperatures do not fall below 3°C (37°F). If you are new to this and grow them from seed, then do not expect a huge plant like mine in the first year. A plant grown from a tuber will grow at a much higher pace than a seedling, but you should still expect several handfuls of fruit from one plant in its first year.
Make sure that you do not disturb the tubers when you cut the foliage off during the autumn. I've noticed that any tubers that I dug up quickly rotted. I found that simply keeping them in the soil does the trick. I have had great success moving the whole pot including the cucamelon tubers into a shed to overwinter them. The radish lookalike tubers will stay underground and wait for the heat of next spring. I start watering them as I move them outside, but it is important to never over-water them as they will quickly rot. Less is more in this case.
Where to plant Cucamelons
Cucamelon plants prefer full sun to some shade. Ours grows well in a southern facing position, but I have also grown them successfully on an east facing a wall. They will fruit right up until the first frost so you will happily be picking these until November or even December in England. This is one of the reasons why they are rated so highly by gardeners.
Plant in container with drainage, 12" deep and width per plant. When it comes to the soil requirements of the cucamelon, I would advise a pretty nutritious mixture. Make sure to add some grit or bark for drainage as the tuber tends to rot if left in soggy soil. If you do it like this, you can also just move the whole pot into the shed during the winter, and it should be perfectly happy to grow again next year in the same medium, albeit with some added manure or nutrients.
How to harvest Cucamelons
Harvest your cucamelons by simply picking them off without ripping the plant apart. If in doubt use small scissors. They keep growing for quite a while if you harvest carefully.
So to summarize on how to grow cucamelon, make sure that you sow them early enough, give them plenty of support and a nutritious compost and they will be a very steady plant that produces a lot more than you would think. Store the tubers in a frost free, cool and dry place for a much larger crop next season.
Storing Cucamelon Tubers Over Winter
Cucamelons are tender perennials, which means they are sensitive to frost but, if cared for properly, can live for several seasons. Throughout the season, cucamelons develop an underground tuber. At the end of the season in cold climates, remove the tuber to overwinter in a sheltered location.
Digging cucamelon tubers is easy. Once the plants have been hit by frost a few times, it’s time to dig them up. The fibrous root ball will be in the top foot of soil, but the tubers can extend a bit deeper. Don’t try to harvest the tubers by pulling the plants out. In my experience, this has resulted in damaged or broken tubers, which will not overwinter.
Instead, place a garden fork or shovel about a foot away from the main stem and dig, gently lifting to expose any tubers. Don’t see any? Dig deeper or use your hand to move the soil out of the hole to locate the tubers. Handle just-harvested tubers carefully to avoid bruising or damage. There’s also no need to wash them off as the tubers will be stored in soil.
Once you’ve gathered all the tubers, it’s time to store them. I use a 15 inch diameter plastic pot and a high-quality, pre-moistened potting soil. Add about 3 inches of soil to the bottom of the pot, and place a few tubers on the soil surface. Space them so that they do not touch. Add another layer of soil and more tubers, continuing to layer until you have no more tubers left. Be sure to sure to cover the last layer with a few inches of soil. Store the pot in a cool, frost-free spot for winter; an unheated basement, a modestly heated garage, or a root cellar.
Small-space and container gardeners who grow cucamelons in pots can also overwinter their plants. Just snip off the dead foliage and store the pot in a cool, frost-free area for winter. Come spring, the tubers can be removed from the pot and replanted in fresh containers.
Where to plant Cucamelons
Cucamelon plants prefer full sun to some shade. Ours grows well in a southern facing position, but I have also grown them successfully on an east facing a wall. They will fruit right up until the first frost so you will happily be picking these until November or even December in England. This is one of the reasons why they are rated so highly by gardeners.
Plant in container with drainage, 12" deep and width per plant. When it comes to the soil requirements of the cucamelon, I would advise a pretty nutritious mixture. Make sure to add some grit or bark for drainage as the tuber tends to rot if left in soggy soil. If you do it like this, you can also just move the whole pot into the shed during the winter, and it should be perfectly happy to grow again next year in the same medium, albeit with some added manure or nutrients.
How to harvest Cucamelons
Harvest your cucamelons by simply picking them off without ripping the plant apart. If in doubt use small scissors. They keep growing for quite a while if you harvest carefully.
So to summarize on how to grow cucamelon, make sure that you sow them early enough, give them plenty of support and a nutritious compost and they will be a very steady plant that produces a lot more than you would think. Store the tubers in a frost free, cool and dry place for a much larger crop next season.
Storing Cucamelon Tubers Over Winter
Cucamelons are tender perennials, which means they are sensitive to frost but, if cared for properly, can live for several seasons. Throughout the season, cucamelons develop an underground tuber. At the end of the season in cold climates, remove the tuber to overwinter in a sheltered location.
Digging cucamelon tubers is easy. Once the plants have been hit by frost a few times, it’s time to dig them up. The fibrous root ball will be in the top foot of soil, but the tubers can extend a bit deeper. Don’t try to harvest the tubers by pulling the plants out. In my experience, this has resulted in damaged or broken tubers, which will not overwinter.
Instead, place a garden fork or shovel about a foot away from the main stem and dig, gently lifting to expose any tubers. Don’t see any? Dig deeper or use your hand to move the soil out of the hole to locate the tubers. Handle just-harvested tubers carefully to avoid bruising or damage. There’s also no need to wash them off as the tubers will be stored in soil.
Once you’ve gathered all the tubers, it’s time to store them. I use a 15 inch diameter plastic pot and a high-quality, pre-moistened potting soil. Add about 3 inches of soil to the bottom of the pot, and place a few tubers on the soil surface. Space them so that they do not touch. Add another layer of soil and more tubers, continuing to layer until you have no more tubers left. Be sure to sure to cover the last layer with a few inches of soil. Store the pot in a cool, frost-free spot for winter; an unheated basement, a modestly heated garage, or a root cellar.
Small-space and container gardeners who grow cucamelons in pots can also overwinter their plants. Just snip off the dead foliage and store the pot in a cool, frost-free area for winter. Come spring, the tubers can be removed from the pot and replanted in fresh containers.
Planting Cucamelon Tubers
It’s time to re-plant the tubers in early April, or about eight weeks before the last expected spring frost. Gather your supplies; eight to ten inch diameter containers and high-quality potting soil. Fill each pot about two-thirds full with the pre-moistened soil. Place a tuber on the surface of the potting soil, and cover with another inch of the soil. Water well and move the pots to a sunny window or place them under grow-lights. Continue to water when necessary and fertilize with a balanced liquid organic food every few weeks.
Once the risk of frost has passed, harden off the plants and transplant them into the garden or in larger containers for deck growing. Cucamelons appreciate a sunny, sheltered site with compost-enriched soil.
Once the risk of frost has passed, harden off the plants and transplant them into the garden or in larger containers for deck growing. Cucamelons appreciate a sunny, sheltered site with compost-enriched soil.
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